Driving and reversing mechanism



w. A. E. HENRICI.

DRIVING AND REVERSING MECHANISM.

APPLiCATlON FILED JULY 23' 1914 1 9 3 9 41 Patented July '8, 1919.

2 SHEETS--SHEET as W- 534 min/eases:

ZMW Z 374 V THE COLUMBIA PLANOGXIAPH co., WASIHNdTON, D. (L

W. A. E. HENRICI.

DRIVING AND REVERSING MECHANISM.

Ow 1 H 1T H ym 1- HS T vm Ww 2 w b a D1 APPLICATION FILED JULY 23.19M-

IIIIIIIJI'IIIIIIIIIIIII THE COLUMBIA PLANCIGRAPH co., \VASIHNUTON, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. E. HENRICI, GF DORCI-IESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO LOUIS F. RUFF, OF JAMAICA. PLAIN, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRIVING- AND REVERSING IVIECHANISM.

TLSOBAIHE.

Application filed July 23, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. E. HEN- moi, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Dorchester, lilassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Driving and Reversing Mechanism, of which the follow ing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to driving and rerersing mechanism, and, while it is equally well adapted for use in instance where one desires to impart motion and provide for auton'iatic rex' ersal of the same at a given time, my invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with washing machines, and the embodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein is designed. for that purpose.

My improved driving mechanism contains many novel features, but among the more important the vertically rotatable motor driving member, the driven member, herein being a washing machine cylinder or drum.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a conventional casing for such a cylinder or drum, showing my improved driving means thereon;

Fig. 2, a detail of portions of the motor on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3, an end view of the casing on an enlarged scale, partly in section, and with parts broken away;

Fig. i is a vertical section view of a modified form of starting and stopping means and brake.

Fig. 5, a horizontal partial sectional view of the same parts, on the line 1010, Fig. 9, and

Fig. 6, a detail, on an enlarged scale, of the motor shaft coupling and adjusting means.

This invention comprises, among other features, Fig. 1, a power supplying means superimposed upon or closely adjacent to, and above the casing, as a vertically rotatabl motor 1, of suitable horse power, which may be supported by a bracket 2, secured to a head 3 of a washing machine (asing, providing a very compact form of construction. It has heretofore been the practice, so far as I am aware, to use power supplying means located at any convenient Specification of Letters IPatent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Serial No. 852,?15.

point and connected to the cylinder shaft, as for instance, by horizontally rotatable gears or belt pulleys mounted on the end of the casing.

Among the many objections to this practice are the following, viz: First, it occupies room near the floor, space which is usually very valuable; second, it is particularly dangerous if belts are used, unless they are inclosed or otherwise protected, which involves expense, and requires additional space, and in any case it produces an unsightly mechanical feature; and third, such driving means necessitates the use of more complicated, numerous and expensive driving and reversing gears, which if made of steel or other hard metal, are noisy; while if rawhide or felt gears are used they cannot be advantageously run in oil, and they are less durable.

Another objection to the use of driving means disposed adjacent the end of the side or the cylinder, is that it is constantly likely to be wet by splashing water whenever the water from the cylinder is drawn off, inasmuch as to drain the cylinder as quickly as possible, the discharge valve therefor is usually made larger than the drain and the water is discharged into a shallow catch basin, with much splashing, from which it runs into the drain.

Again, if a horizontal motor were used it would require the use of a packed bearing at th point where the motor shaft entered. the gear box, but by positioning the motor vertically such packed bearing is not required as there is no danger of the oil escaping from the top of the gear box.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, on. the head 3 of the casing is secured a gear box t in which is carried a horizontal worm driving shaft 5, the worm 6 of which is in mesh. with a driven member, as a gear 7, which may, in turn, be suitably connected with the cylinder or other member to be driven, as by being mounted on the end of a shaft 8, or said gear 7 may be formed integral with the member 8. This boX also carries the means for connecting the vertical shaft 9 of the motor 1 to the worm shaft 5. The motor may be of any desired style, and heroin I have contemplated the use of a compound wound direct current motor, comprising, however, in construction, some novel features.

In the use of a vertically rotatable motor, one point becomes of great importance, viz: that it be mounted to rotate as nearly absolutely vertically as possible, for the reason that, if it does not so rotate, the armature will, in a short time, Wear the bearings unevenly, and the armature, thus being off-center, will interfere with the proper operation of the motor. One cause of trouble of this nature that must be guarded against in the use of a vertical motor for a washing machine is the sagging or settling of the floor under the heavy load of the machine, which is not uncommon, and which throws the motor shaft out of vertical alinement with the result pointed out above.

Again, the quick and frequent stopping and starting of the cylinder will sometimes cause a jarring which is apt to affect the smooth and even running of the vertical motor shaft. The above objections are difficult to remedy when ordinary shaft bearings are used. To meet these and other diiiiculties, I have provided the motor shaft 9, at the top and bottom of the motor, see Fig. 2, and also at the lower ends of the shaft, Fig. 3, with self-alining radial ball bearings 1O, 10, and at some suitable point on the shaft 9 and herein near the upper end thereof, is a similar ball thrust bearing 11, Fig. 2, to sustain the shaft vertically, and these bearings may be of any preferred form such the S. K. F. bearing, carried by a yoke 12 and contained within a box 13 thereon. The radial bearings 10, 10, referred to, as is well known, each consists of an outer bearing ring 14, an inner bearing ring 15 and between them two sets of balls 17, the rings 14; and 15 being ground to have, by means of the balls 17, a cooperating and adjustable close bearing fit one within the other.

In order to permit the adjustment of the shaft 9 above referred to, and to adapt the said bearings for use herein, I have also incorporated in the motor and its driving connections several novel features of construction which I will now describe.

In the bearing box 13 of the yoke 12 as stated is placed a thrust self-aliniug ball bearing 11, preferably of the S. K. B. type comprising an upp r bearing ring 15 and a similar lower bearing ring l t, the outer edges of which have a close but adjustable curvilinear bearing engagement with the inner face of a bearing collar 16.

Within the two rings 1115 are positioned two sets of balls 17 carrying between them a thrust ring 18. This ring 18 carries at its center a shaft carrying sleeve 19 having a flange 20 at its lower end which engages the lower face of the ring 18 and which thus prevents upward movement of the sleeve and shaft 9 relative to the ring 18.

To carry the shaft 9 I have secured to it, by any convenient means, the sleeve 19 referred to, which is provided with a shaft carrying collar 21, suitably secured thereon, the lower edge of the collar resting on the upper face of the ring 18. The upper end of the collar 21 rests against the lower edge of the inner radial bearing ring 15 of the bearing 10 which is positioned between the sleeve 19 and an outer bearing collar 22. The lower edge of the collar 22 rests upon the upper edge of the collar 16 of the thrust bearing 11, referred to, and the upper edge of the collar 22 rests against the box cover 23, secured in turn to tne yoke 12 as by screws 24, thus locking the bearings 10, 11 firmly in place.

The shaft carrying sleeve 19 which is secured at its upper end to shaft 9, is threaded on the outer face of its upper end to a nut 25 resting on the radial bearing ring 15 and the shaft 9 has threaded upon its upper end above the nut 25 a lock nut 26. By the foregoing described construction it will be observed that the shaft 9 is suspended upon the ring 18 of the bearing 11 and locked against upward displacement relative thereto by the sleeve 19, ring 18 collar 22 and cover 28.

lVithin the sleeve 19 and between. it and the shaft 9, and carried by the bottom wall of the bearing box 13, is an oil sleeve 27 extending upwardly from said wall approximately to the radial bearing 10. This sleeve 27 has a close running fit about the shaft 9 and within the sleeve 19, permitting the oil well 29 of the box 13 to be filled with oil from a duct 28, thus providing lubrication for the various parts. At the bottom of the motor, the shaft 9 is also provided with a shaft carrying collar 29* having a bear ing flange 29 and positioned between said bearing flange and the bearing web 29 of the lower yo re 12 of the motor casing, and held therein, as by a nut 29 on the flange 29 is a second radial bearing 10 already referred to. The bearing web 29 is also provided with an oil sleeve 27 extended upwardly and about the shatt 9, having a running fit thereabout, permitting the various parts described also to be run in oil, which may be supplied by a duct 28.

These self-alining radial bearings 10, 10, act to Permit and preserve the proper vertical alinement of the motor 1 and the shaft 9 at all times, and proper engagement of the shaft 9 at its lower end with the on the end of the horizontal driven shaft to be described, thus overcoming the ditliculties above mentioned.

F or convenience, the motor shaft 9, F 1, 6, may be in two sections and secured by flanges 30 and bolts therefor. In order to permit vertical adjustment when, and if necessary of the shaft 9 and the parts carried thereby at the lower end, and which will be described presently, I have provided coni of the lower section of the shaft 9 as by a key, is provided with a threaded hub 3O which engages a threaded flange 30 on a collar 30 also on the upper end of the lower section of the shaft 9. This collar 30 is rotatably secured to the shaft 9 by means of lock screws 30 which enter a groove 30 thereon. When it is desired to adjust the lower section of shaft 9 relative to the upper section thereof, the two sections being normally spaced apart somewhat to permit such adjustment, the screws 30 are loosened, the collar 30 turned about the hub to raise or lower the lower section of the shaft by means of the screws 30 and the collar 30 then again locked to the shaft by screws 30 to prevent relative movement of the collar and shaft. This shaft 9 may be provided with a hand wheel 31, if desired. The motor shaft 9 is also shown, Figs. 1 and 3, as provided with a sleeve 32 throughout part of its length, as a protection thereagainst and the sleeve is shown as received at its upper end by a flange 33 on the lower face of the hand wheel 31 and at its lower end by a similar flange 34: on the bearing plate 35 secured to the top of the box 4.

At its lower end, see Fig. 3, the shaft 9 is provided with a self-alining radial bearing 10, as stated, and the shaft carries a bevel gear 36 suitably locked thereon, which gear is in mesh with a similar gear 37, secured as by screws 38 to a sleeve 39 keyed or otherwise suitably secured to the shaft 5.

The shaft 5 is reduced at its end to re-- ceive the sleeve 39 which is normally positioned thereon some distance from the shoulder 39 to permit of longitudinal adjustment of the sleeve on the shaft. The wall of the sleeve 39 is also reduced at its inner face and near one end for receiving a sleeve and gear-locking member 40 which may be either a ring, or a flange carried by a screw ll-1 threaded into the end of the shaft 5, said flange being somewhat thicker than the length of the reduced portion of the sleeve. The inner face of the flange 40 bears against the shoulder 41 of the sleeve 39 and the outer face of the flange is engaged by a locking plate 4-2 secured in turn to the sleeve 39 by screws 42*.

It is obvious that the flange 40 is locked securely between the shoulder 41* and theplate 42 by the screws 42 and the several, parts to the shaft 5 by screw d1. By loosening the screws 42* the screw 41 may be turned inward or outward to adjust the sleeve 39 and gear 37 longitudinally relative to the shaft 5 and laterally relative to the gear 36 when desired, and this construction also provides a convenient means for assembling or removing the several members.

l f the screw i1 is turned outward far enough it will of course draw the sleeve 39 from the shaft 5, the gear 36 having been first removed.

The shaft 5 is also likely to be thrown out of horizontal alinement by sagging of the floor, which, too often in laundries, is not of proper heavy construction. To permit correct and ready alinement' of the shaft without readjustment of the machine and connections as a whole, I have provided, Fig. 3, this shaft 5 also with self-alining radial bearings i3, 4:3, as, at suitable points. To take the thrust of the shaft, I have pro vided it also with a thrust hearing at Sliiil" lar to the one used in the motor 1 and al ready described.

The hearing a l is held in position against longitudinal displacement by locking it against a flange so on the box -l by means of a collar L6, locked in turn to the box 4 by screws 5L7. In this case the thrust of the shaft 0 is transferred to the tl'n'ust bearing ring 18 by means of the sleeve l8 and bean .ing which extend from the ring 13 to the shoulder 51 on one side of said ring 18, and the sleeve 49, hearing 43, and sleeve which extend from the ring 18 to the worm 6 on the sin-aft :3 on the opposite side of the ring 18, and thus lock the shaft against longitudinal travel therein. It will be noted. that the bearings d3, 43, and 44: are all. adj ustable longitudinally within the box 1 The norm 6 may be keyed to the shaft 5, and adjacent same, and on the shaft, is a sleeve 52 which, with sleeve 53 engages the left hand bearing on either side. All the foregoing sleeves may be removably secured to the shaft by right and left hand lock- .nuts 59%, 55, respectively, and the latter secured by a set-scrcw 56, permitting ready removal of any or all of the sleeves and worm at will.

it will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a most compact, simple and direct acting construction of driving mechanism, free from reversing gears, wherein the bevel may be made of bronze or any desired material, and run in oil if desired.

I have invented, see Figs. fl. and 5, an improved and modified form of combined starting and stopping means and brake. Referring to l, I have shown such a brake as comprising a support secured to the bracket 2. or end 3, of the case, and this support carri at its outer edge a split bearing 95 secured thereto in any convenient manner. In the bearings 95" is rotatably mounted a sleeve 95 which carries freely rotatably thcreabout a collar 95 having a handle 95 the sleeve receiving loosely within it the motor shaft 9.

The collar 95 is provided at its upper end, Fig. 5, with two laterally extended cam surfaces 95. The bearing member 95" is provided at substantially opposite points on its upper edge, Fig. 5 with posts 95 95 which extend upwardly and each carries at its upper end. and pivotally secured thereto, a segmental brake shoe 95 95. These shoes may be forced by the cams 95, 95 against the inner face of the flange 95 depending from a collar 95 secured to the shaft 9 as by a key 95.

Obviously turning the handle 95 to the right, Fig. 5, will cause the cams 95 95 to force the shoes 95*, 95 against the flange 95 and stop the rotation of shaft 9. Turning the handle 95 to the left, Fig. 5, will release the shoes 95*, 95, from contact with the flange 95% In order that the circuit supplying the power for operating the motor may positively be broken before the brake is applied, and as a convenient means for so breaking the circuit, I have secured to the collar 95 a contact switch member 95 suitably insulated therefrom. It is adapted to engage two contacts 95 95 in the operating circuit to close the operating circuit when the handle 95 is in position shown in full lines, Fig. 5, the position of the contacts 95 95, being indicated therein by dotted lines.

Throwing the handle 95 to the right, Fig. 5, slightly, will break the circuit by with drawing the switch member 95 from engagement with the contacts 95 95", Without applying the brake, and throwing the handle still farther to the right to dotted position, Fig. 5, will actuate the cams 95, 95, to apply the brake shoes 95 95 to stop the motor. Of course this brake and starting and stopping means, as stated, may be used equally satisfactorily with a direct current motor if desired.

The foregoing described construction provides a machine which is less expensive to build than would be the horizontal motor construction involving the use of reversing spur gears. This construction also requires a smaller number of elements, and they are more readily assembled than any other of which I have knowledge. As has already been said this form of construction permits the use of silent bevel gears in place of noisy spur gears of metal fiber or rawhide, which may be run in oil if desired and are more durable.

Claims:

1. In driving and reversing mechanism, a substantially vertically rotatable motor pro vided with self-alining bearings, and suspended on one of said bearings.

2. In driving and reversing mechanism, a substantially vertically rotatable motor provided with self-alining radial and self-alining thrust bearings, the motor shaft being suspended on said thrust bearing.

3. In driving and reversing mechanism, a

substantially vertically rotatable motor comprising a yoke, a shaft, a sleeve thereon, a plurality of self-alining bearings in said yoke, a bearing ring on the yoke to receive one of said bearings, a bearing collar secured to the sleeve and disposed between two of said bearings.

t. In driving and reversing mechanism, a substantially vertically rotatable motor oomprising a shaft-carrying yoke, a bearing boX thereon, a shaft, a shaft-carrying sleeve thereon, a shaft-carrying collar on the sleeve; a plurality of bearing collars in said box; a self-alining bearing between the sleeve and one of said bearing collars, a bearing web in the yoke, a second carryingcollar on the shaft, a self-alining bearing between said bearing web and the bearing collar on the shaft, and an oil sleeve on the shaft. 85

5. Driving and reversing mechanism comprising, in combination, a suspended and substantially vertically rotatable motor, an angularly disposed driving shaft geared thereto, and self-alining bearings for said shafts.

6. Driving and reversing means comprising, in combination, a substantially vertically rotatable motor, an angularly disposed driving shaft connected thereto, self-alining 5 radial bearings and self-alining thrust bearings for said shafts.

7. Driving and reversing mechanism comprising, in combination, power producing means, a substantially vertically rotatable shaft connected therewith, a gear on the shaft, an angularly disposed driving shaft, a sleeve thereon, a gear on said sleeve and in mesh with the motor shaft gear, and a cap plate secured to the sleeve.

8. Driving and reversing mechanism comprising, in combination, a substantially vertically rotatable motor, a gear on the motor shaft, an angularly disposed driving shaft, a sleeve thereon, a gear on the sleeve and in mesh with the motor shaft gear, and a cap plate secured to the sleeve.

9. Driving and reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a substantially vertically rotatable motor, its shaft, a gear on the shaft, an angularly disposed driving shaft provided with a worm, self-alining radial and thrust bearings for both shafts, a sleeve on the driving shaft, a gear thereon in mesh with said first-named gear, and a cap plate secured to the sleeve.

10. Driving and reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a substantially vertically rotatable motor, its shaft, a gear on the shaft, an angularly disposed driving shaft, provided with a worm, selfalining radial and thrust bearings for both shafts, a sleeve on the driving shaft, a gear thereon in mesh with said first-named gear,

a flange receiving section in said sleeve, a

screw threaded into said shaft and having a flange seated in said flange-receiving sec tion, and a cap secured to said sleeve and against said flange whereby the screw may be adjustably locked in said shaft to adjustably position said sleeve and gear.

11. Driving and reversing mechanism comprising a driven member, and means for rocking the same comprising a movable terminal carrier actuated from the driven member, a fixed terminal, an adjustable terminal, a traveling terminal and means locking the traveling terminal to the movable terminal carrier to cause the traveling terminal to travel therewith.

12. Shaft connecting and adjusting means comprising a flanged collar slidably secured to one shaft end, a flanged collar adjustably secured to an adjoining shaft end, means for locking the flanges together, and a collar on one shaft and movable thereon having a flange in threaded engagement with the collar on its shaft end.

13. Driving and reversing mechanism comprising in combination power producing means, the shaft 9 having a gear 36 thereon, an angularly disposed shaft 5, the sleeve 39 engaging the reduced end of said shaft, a gear on said sleeve engaging the gear 36, the screw 41 threaded into the end of the shaft 5 and carrying the collar 40 engaging said sleeve 39, the cap plate 42, and screws i2 locking said cap plate to the sleeve.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence 35 of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLLMVI HENRICI. Witnesses EVERETT S. EMERY, ELIZABETH P. HILLIARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

